Look After You
by lostsoul512
Summary: After a fallout with Joker, Harley turns to Scarecrow for comfort. But things tend to get out of hand in Arkham, and Joker doesn't like to share his toys...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, darling readers. So, I got the idea to do a little side project while I'm working on the rest of Smiling Out of Fear. I hope you guys will enjoy it! I do not own Batman or any related characters ((dammit)). Ps, happy Halloween, lovelies. **

There was nothing worse than seeing someone you care about deeply in pain. These were the exact thoughts of Jonathan Crane as he looked up to see none other than Harley Quinn standing outside his cell, tears streaming down her face as she hugged herself tightly.

Jonathan had seen Harley cry a thousand times, usually for the same damn thing, and it never seemed to get easier. She was so young and so beautiful, and most of the time Jonathan was genuinely afraid for her well-being. And for him to be afraid…that was saying something.

Sliding off his bed, Jonathan went over to the glass window that separated them, placing a hand against it. "What's the matter, child?" He murmured, though spoke loud enough for her to hear. He glanced down the hall but spotted no guards. For supposedly being so high security, the unlikely rogues sure found it easy to break out whenever they pleased.

Harley came right up to the window as well, wiping at her tears with the backs of her hands. "It's…it's nothing, really," she said between sniffles. "It's just…Mr. J's gone and broken out, and he's left me here all alone! And Ivy's not here, and I just didn't know where else to go, and I already miss him so much!" At the last word, her voice broke and she was reduced to tears once again. Jonathan felt his muscles tighten, his hand balling into a fist at his side. He was so sick and tired of the clown thinking he could do anything he pleased, hurt anyone he wanted just for his own amusement. Well, nobody was laughing, least of all Harley. And when Harley wasn't laughing, when Harley was crying outside his cell at two in the morning, someone was going to pay for it.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure he'll come back for you," Jonathan told her, because he knew it was the only thing she wanted to hear. Sometimes it was okay to lie, right? When it was for someone's own good? Right.

With her big, innocent blue eyes, Harley stared up at him. "You really think so, Professor?" She asked wistfully.

Jonathan smiled down at her, wondering how such a bright little thing could have possibly fallen in with the likes of the Joker. "I've told you a million times, Harley, call me Jonathan," he replied, dodging her question. "Why don't you try to get some rest, child? I'll see you at breakfast."

He watched her go. He didn't want her to go, exactly. He wanted her to stay where he could keep an eye on her. Harley was just so delicate, so fragile. He knew, because he'd watched her get broken more times than he cared to remember. Every time they came back to Arkham, which everyone always did go home eventually, it seemed Joker had some new plan to amuse himself at Harley's expense.

Jonathan was sick of watching Harley get hurt, physically and emotionally. She deserved so much better than she had. Unfortunately, it would probably take a miracle to make her realize that.

Or, he thought as he retreated to his bed, maybe this time away from the Joker would give her a chance to see how a man was supposed to be treating a woman. Maybe, if he played his cards right, Jonathan could manage to break her free of the spell.

…

The next day, a blotchy, red-eyed Harley was led into the dining room by a guard. She said nothing as she plopped down at the table while he went to fetch her a plate, just rest her head on the cool surface of the table. The other inmates exchanged uncertain glances, but most of them knew better than to try talking to her when she got like this.

Most of them, except Jonathan. Giving a nod at one of the guards, he picked up his plate and went to sit beside her. "Hey," he greeted softly. When another guard came and placed her plate before her, she immediately pushed it away, making no indication that she was going to reply to him. "Harls, you gotta eat."

"I don't gotta do anything," she whined, glancing up at him. With her wide eyes brimmed with tears, she looked even younger, even more innocent. It damn near broke his heart. "I love him, you know, and he just left me here with all these crazy people."

Jonathan raised his brows at her, pushing his own food around with his fork. "I don't really see myself as being crazy," he muttered. Harley returned to her pouty silence again, leaving him to wonder why their little asylum family couldn't ever just have a normal day. Then again, there was no such thing as normal when you spent half your life locked up, was there?

Harley made it obvious she wasn't going to talk when she motioned for the guard to take her back to her cell. Jonathan watched her as she was escorted out, giving a great sigh and running a hand through his dark hair. He hated to see her like this, so lifeless and empty. Most of all he hated the way she allowed Joker to have such power over her, the power to completely destroy her any time he wanted.

"Riddle me this," a sudden voice spoke from beside him. Jonathan glanced over to see Edward Nygma, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "What happened to the scarecrow who cozied up to the clown's girlfriend?"

"A dead scarecrow," Two-Face piped up from further down the table.

Jonathan narrowed his eyes at the other man. "It's not like that," he snapped, instantly on the defense. Harley was like a sister to him, nothing more. And it wasn't a crime to be concerned for her well-being. Everyone knew she was in an abusive relationship. Jonathan didn't feel his motives should be questioned for wanting to help her.

"Please," Two-Face said, rolling his eyes "You're trying to get close to her to get back at J for all those pranks he's played on you. It doesn't take a genius to see that."

Jonathan was not in the mood for this interrogation right now. He was tired and stressed and beyond irritated. The rest of the inmates were only pushing his buttons. "I have no reason to hold a grudge against J," he muttered. He regretted this instantly when the others launched into reminiscing every laugh Joker had ever had at Jonathan's expense. Eventually, he got up and left, grumbling to himself as he was taken back to his cell.

"There's nothing wrong with worrying about her," he mumbled, as the guard resealed the door to his cell. It was summer, and his cell was always extra hot. He wasn't allowed any ventilation, in case he would ever smuggle in some fear gas. Most of the inmates had to have customized cells to prevent them from using their methods of operation against the staff.

Jonathan lay down on his bed, the issue of Harley on his mind. It wasn't as if he thought of her in _that_ way. He was well aware of her deep-rooted, mildly psychotic love for Joker. He just wanted to keep her safe, was all. He just wanted to look after her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey there, beautiful people of fanfiction. So, I have absolutely no idea where this story is going. I'm just going to tell you that up front. Still, I appreciate all the support it's already gotten from you lovely bunch of folks here in the rogues fan group. Anyway, I'm going to be late for my Halloween party. In case you were wondering, I'm going as Harley. So yay. **

As far as things to do went, the inmates of Arkham didn't exactly have a lot of options. As such, they were usually left to things like petty gossip, which was what they mostly found themselves doing over the next few days. Of course, the latest topic of gossip was the whole Harley dilemma.

"I'm just saying, the second she sees him again it'll be all, _oh, I forgive you_," muttered Two-Face, who was slouched in the couch of the rec room. Beside him sat Jervis Tetch, trying to ignore the drama that always seemed to engulf them by focusing on Through the Looking Glass. "She always does."

"The only riddle I've never been able to solve," Nygma replied, "is what Harley sees in that-"

"Can we please stop talking about Harley?" Jonathan scowled from across the room. It had been two days since he'd last seen her in the dining room, and he was starting to get worried. Well, more worried than he had been previously. She refused to eat and she wouldn't talk to any of the others. She was on a fast descent into darkness, and Jonathan feared what might happen if he couldn't stop her from falling.

"What about Harley?" An unexpected voice sounded from the doorway. The three men all spun around to see none other than Poison Ivy, hip jutted out to the side as she flipped her long red curls away from her face. "Is everything okay?"

Jonathan was immediately on his feet, and in a moment of great relief and desperation, he pulled her into his arms for a brief hug. "I've never been so happy to see you," he whispered, words for only her to hear.

When he had released her, the two returned to the array of couches and chairs. Ivy sat alone in an armchair, crossing her legs and throwing a not-so-subtle glare at Two-Face. "Welcome home," Harvey murmured flatly, scowling right back. In truth he was always a little relieved to see that she was okay. For him, Ivy would always be that one person he could never truly stop caring about.

"What's going on?" Ivy asked, ignoring Two-Face completely. Her pale green eyes flickered from Jonathan to Nygma to Tetch, but nobody spoke up. Before, they had no problem analyzing someone else's bad situation, but now that Harley's best friend was in the room it was a lot harder, knowing that anything they said had the potential to get back to Harley.

From the corner of her eye, Ivy saw Two-Face fumbling with his little coin. "Christ," he grumbled, slipping it back into his pocket. "Joker broke out and left Harley," he explained. "She's obviously a wreck, and Crane here has taken this precise opportunity to try and assert his love for her."

"I told you it's not like that!" Jonathan snapped. Ivy stared at him long and hard, but considering she didn't understand people at all she was unable to tell if he was lying. Then again, it didn't particularly matter to her. Ivy's one and only concern was, and always was, Harley's well being. And with the clown gone, maybe she could find a way finally get through to her.

"I'll try talking to her," Ivy murmured, rising to her feet. She stared at Jonathan for a second longer than necessary before heading back towards the door. She was able to easily slip past the guard, who was too busy reading some Hollywood trash magazine. God, no wonder it was so damn easy to break out of this place. She made her way silently to the cell block, lost in thought. She'd had to do this thousands of time, talk Harley off a ledge whenever Joker pushed her to the edge. It got pretty tiring after a while. But what else were friends for? She supposed it was just the hope that one day Harley would actually realize that she deserved better.

At last she arrived at Harley's cell. The blonde was curled up on her bed, buried under the covers. It made Ivy sad, really, because she hated to see her best friend in pain. Even if it infuriated her to know that Joker had such control over her. Even if sometimes she wanted nothing more than to grab Harley by the throat and strangle some sense into her. She still loved the girl to pieces.

"Harls," she called out, tapping lightly on the glass. The other girl made no sign of having heard. Ivy sighed, trying to keep her composure. "Harley," she tried again. "Please come out and talk to me."

Another few, silent moments passed, and then Harley finally rose and approached the door. Smiling, though not the brightest shed ever worn, Ivy beckoned over a guard to unlock the door. "Don't try anything funny," he grunted at Harley as she emerged from the cell.

Harley narrowed her eyes at his back as he walked away. "Like you'd be able to tell," she said under her breath.

Once they were alone, Ivy reached out to take her friend's hand. "Are you okay?" She asked sincerely. Her patience wore thin, however, as Harley launched into a grueling, detailed story about how heartbroken she was. Again. Ivy was growing so, so tired of this vicious cycle. She could feel herself snapping. "Harley," she said abruptly. Harley was cut off mid sentence, her mouth still open. "Look, how many times have we had this exact conversation?"

The blonde lowered her gaze to the floor, wrapping her arms tightly around her slender body. "A few…"

"More than a few," Ivy retorted. She knew she was coming off harshly, but she also knew she had a very small window of opportunity to break through the girl's thick little skull. It was possible; she'd done it before. Making Harley realize she deserved better was never the hard part. It was making her stick to her realization when Joker just so casually traipsed back into her life, spewing fake words of sorry and love. But with Harley locked up in Arkham, there was much less chance of that happening.

"I'm just sick of seeing you in pain," Ivy went on, her voice becoming much gentler. "I love you, you know? And every time you get hurt, it hurts me too. I know you care about him, even if I don't understand why. But I just need you to know that there are people here that love you. In the right way,"

Ivy couldn't stop her thoughts from trailing to Jonathan as she finished her little speech, the way he was always so protective of Harley. She'd always been able to see the way it pained him to watch her suffering. The master of fear was afraid of something, and that something was the anguish of Harley Quinn.

As for Harley, her own thoughts were all over the place. She knew Ivy's words were true. She's always known that much, at least. But when the heart latched onto someone, it was damn near impossible to release that grip. And for reasons beyond her understanding, her heart had chosen the Joker.

"Just think about it…" Ivy muttered, thinking this had all been a waste of time. She parted from her best friend and headed back to the others, wondering if Harley would ever find a way to snap back into reality.

With the redhead gone, Harley was free to return to her bed, where she was safe from all the rest of the world. Safe to cry herself to sleep. And for once, the tears were not because she had lost her lover, but because she was questioning if she had ever been right to love it at all.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm going to tell you right now, I never meant for this chapter to happen. I feel like the characters are taking control of my writing, because this is going in a completely different direction than I intended. Still, I'm not totally displeased with it. I daresay I'm even excited for this new plot unfolding before my eyes! As per usual, I own nothing, except my own confusion as I bounce between my two OTPs….**

Harley was awoken from a beautiful dream by the sound of a screaming inmate. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her puffy red eyes, she strained her ears to try and figure out who it was. Upon listening closer, she could make out things like 'late' and 'chesire', so it must have been Tetch.

Figuring no one was in immediate danger, Harley lay back down and tried to fall back into her unconscious paradise. She had been with her love, her Mr. J, alone and unbothered by all the things that kept them apart. But it was only a dream, of course; only, she was just as alone. And she supposed, without her to annoy him, he was unbothered.

She could feel the threat of oncoming tears once more. But she had cried enough over him, over a man who clearly didn't deserve her love. She had returned to him time after time, and for what? To be tossed aside all over again. Red was right; she was pathetic.

Once again, Harley sat up, this time with a new fire burning in her eyes. She would not allow herself to spend another moment in this vicious cycle. She was an accredited psychologist, for God's sake. She should not have been behind bars in the most high security asylum on this side of the Mississippi.

For the first time in a long time, Harley Quinn felt free.

When the guard came around to collect Harley for breakfast, she all but skipped down the halls, humming a little to herself. "You seem cheerful today, Miss Quinn," the guard noted.

"I'm newly single," she blurted out. Instantly, she scrunched up her nose. It didn't sound right, not to her. She had never really been on her own. For as long as she could remember, it had always been the Joker and Harley. The Clown Prince and his harlequin. Well, she supposed she would just have to get used to it. Maybe she could change her persona to match Red's instead. Poison Ivy and….she didn't actually know much about flowers, but she would look into it.

The rest of the inmates had already arrived in the dining hall, except for Tetchy, who she assumed had been subdued after his outburst this morning. Harley offered all her friends a bright, sincere smile as she sat down beside Ivy. "Morning!" She greeted everyone. As soon as the guard brought her plate of French toast, she dug right in.

Over her shoulder, Ivy couldn't help but glance at Jonathan. Her brow was creased slightly into a frown. It slowly turned into a grin, however, as she realized what was happening. "How are you feeling, Harls?" She asked slowly, practically on the edge of the bench upon which they all sat.

"Great!" Harley cried, looking over to her best friend. Giggling, Ivy wiped a dab of syrup from her chin. "You know, Red, I realized that you were right all along about me and Mr. J. I could do so much better, really, and I'm tired of sitting around feeling sorry for myself. From now on, Harley Quinn is a solo act."

As the blonde threw her arms around Ivy, the redhead hugged her tightly. She wanted so, so very desperately to believe that Harley was really done with the clown once and for all. But there were plenty of times Harley had claimed to be done with him and then gone right back. The only thing Ivy could really do was wait it out and see.

But, God, was she hoping.

…

Breakfast had ended in a near fist fight between Ivy and Two-Face, which she claimed she only ended because she was too happy for Harley to fight with her ex. The two were escorted from the room, back to their separate cells. And since Nygma had never bothered to show up, and Tetchy was still under the weather, that left only Harley and Jonathan in the dining hall.

The blonde was smiling to herself, murmuring the words to some pop song he didn't recognize as she pushed the last of her food around her plate. "I'm glad to see you're eating again," Jonathan murmured, looking up at her from across the table. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Never better," Harley replied quickly, but she let her voice rise up an octave or so, and he knew right then she was lying. If anyone was able to read people, it was Jonathan Crane, and he could tell from her eyes she was terrified. And he understood; he really did. The Joker had literally created her, broke down her mind and recreated her to be exactly what he wanted. She had never been without him, and as much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't entirely sure Harley was strong enough to be on her own. Perhaps Harleen Quinzel could have been. But the Joker had killed her like he killed all his doctors. She didn't even exist anymore.

Against his better judgment, Jonathan reached across the table and placed his hand gently atop her own. Her alabaster skin was so soft beneath his fingertips. "If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask me," he said softly. Harley was caught off guard by the seriousness, the severity of his tone.

With her blue eyes wide, she stared up at him, unsure of how to reply. She had always sort of thought of Jonathan as her older brother. Really, she tended to think of all the rogues as this unlikely family. All just brothers and sisters, bound together by their shared madness. But where the others could be petty and vain and manipulative for their own causes, Jonathan had never been anything but supportive and caring towards her.

Harley turned her hand up so that their fingers were suddenly locked. Jonathan had not been expecting that and had to remind himself to breathe. She had dropped the smile she'd been wearing all morning, and for once she was allowing her fear to show. "I…I dunno, Johnny," she said quietly. "I've never been on my own, you know? And I wouldn't make a very good supervillain or anything, really. I always- I _was_ always messing up Mr. J's plans. I just don't know what I'm going to do by myself."

Jonathan studied her long and hard. Her fear made her beautiful, in a way. He could hardly stand how breathtaking she was. She deserved everything in the world, everything the Joker had been too stupid to give her. And in that moment he realized that Nygma and everyone else had been right. He was falling for Harley.

And for the first time, that wasn't such a crazy idea. She seemed, at least as far as he could tell, ready to write off the clown. She wanted to be free, just not alone. And Jonathan found himself wondering if it had been her fear of abandonment all along that kept her clinging to him. If maybe she hadn't even really loved him all that much, but had convinced herself she did because it was easier to stay with someone who treated her like nothing than to be without anyone at all.

Well, maybe now she could have both. Maybe she could be treated like the dark, villainous princess she was, and she wouldn't even have to be alone. "I wont let you be on your own," Jonathan said to her, giving her hand a tight squeeze. "I promise, Harley. I'm going to take care of everything, okay?"

Harley smiling at him once again, something very raw and real. It was a gentle kind of smile, not the wide one she usually plastered on for the Joker. Beautiful, at least to Jonathan. She surprised him once again when she leapt across the table to hug him, sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Hey!" A guard shouted, training his tranquilizer gun on her.

Harley giggled, rolling off him. Jonathan merely ran a hand through his hair, trying desperately to keep his composure. "Have you ever had a henchgirl?" She asked. Jonathan frowned. She thought he wanted her to…work for him? Instead of replying, he shook his head.

Harley squeaked excitedly, rising to her feet. "You're in for a treat," she assured him. "I mean, I did basically everything for Mr. J, so you'll never have to worry about anything anymore. Although I don't really see anything too funny about a harlequin and a scarecrow…"

"Harley, I-" He tried to explain, but she cut him off again.

"I know!" She blurted, grinning widely. "I could be like Dorothy. Those things go together, don't you think? I'll have to figure out how to incorporate my hammer into this…and I don't really know if blue is my color…"

Jonathan followed her down the hall, back towards their cells, wondering what the hell he'd just gotten himself into.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, lovelies! I got a very urgent review insisting I post the next chapter. Usually I don't update the same story twice in a day, but this one is just coming so naturally to me. Which I find terribly funny, since it was not even supposed to happen. Anyway, I wont keep you any longer. Goodnight, my beautiful readers. **

Jervis Tetch sat alone in the rec room, his face illuminated only by the television screen. He wasn't watching it, of course, but he didn't mind having a little background noise. Since his episode the previous morning, sleep had been eluding him, so he had thought to come and have a nice cup of tea. Perhaps it would calm him down enough to sleep. Though he doubted it very much.

The sound of footsteps entering the rec room caught his attention. Before he could look over, Jonathan was sliding into the seat across from him. Tetch smiled at him, pouring some tea into the other glass. "This was for Alice," he explained, as he handed it over. "But she's very late. I'm not surprised, really…"

Jonathan murmured his thanks, sipping at the scalding liquid. "You can't sleep either," Tetch pointed out then. As if Jonathan's presence in the rec room at nearly two in the morning didn't give that away. Still, it was better than laying alone in his cell, worrying immensely about Harley's mental state. He wanted so very much to believe she was as okay as she acted, but he was afraid that it was just that, an act. And it took quite a bit to make him afraid. "What's troubling you?"

Jonathan ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed deeply. "It's Harley," he began slowly. "I'm worried about her."

Tetch nodded in understanding. "It is often women that keep us from finding sleep," he stated softly. "Or, at least, I have found that Alice is generally why I cannot sleep."

Jonathan took another long drink, now that the tea was actually at a drinkable temperature. When he had set the cup back down, he told his closest friend all about what had happened that morning. Jervis frowned as he considered the story. "I don't suppose her reaction was at all what you were hoping for, then?" He asked.

"Of course not," Crane replied, shaking his head. "But, I mean, I wasn't expecting her to jump into my arms and run away with me, either."

Jervis opened his mouth to reply, but before he could get a word out, none other than Harley herself appeared in the room. She was wearing what appeared to be a dress, if the little amount of fabric she had on could really be considered anything. It was made of all sorts of random patches, shades of brown and orange and khaki. In place of her usual headdress, she had her blonde hair in pigtails and was wearing a burlap mask that revealed only her heavily made up eyes.

"H-Harley?" Jonathan stammered, rising to his feet. He noticed the guard now lay unconscious on the floor. Impressive, considering he hadn't even heard her coming. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Harley jutted her hip out to the side. "I told you," she drawled. "There is nothing funny about a scarecrow and a harlequin. So, I called in a favor from Selina, and she dropped this off for me! Isn't it cute? I think I'm going to call myself Patches now."

Well, she certainly looked appealing, to say the least. Jonathan had to remind himself not to stare, and he could only imagine the disapproving look he was earning from Tetch. "I'm not trying to be funny," he said at last, if only to say something at all.

Harley rolled her bright blue eyes and grabbed him by the hand. "Course you are," she responded, pulling him closer to the doorway. "Why else would you want to cause so much terror and mayhem?"

In truth, Jonathan was struggling to keep up. And it was only about to get worse, because all of a sudden the alarm sounded, filling the halls with a shrill shriek. Jonathan tried to cover his ears, but Harley was still gripping his hand tightly. "Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention," she said, smirking sheepishly. "Ivy and I planned this whole big escape to announce the arrival of Patches in Gotham. So, uh, we should probably run…"

On queue, the doors burst open and an army of guards stormed the rec room. "I say!" Tetch cried. "It's very rude to burst in uninvited!"

Jonathan barely had time to react. Then Harley was dragging him down the hall as fast as she could, leaping casually over the bodies of guards the other rogues had left in their wake. Crane had no choice but to follow along. Well, at least this henchgirl thing was working out alright. Harley had already managed to break them out of Arkham. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Once they were well out of view of the hospital, out of breath and panting, Harley shot him a glance. "Where to, boss?" She asked, her voice so sweet and innocent.

Jonathan slung an arm over her shoulder. "Let's go home, kid."

…

"Hey, Roc, grab me a beer on your way in, will ya?" Joker called into the kitchen. He was perched on the worn out couch, hands behind his head as he stretched out. He was enjoying all the space, really. For once, he could sleep without another body taking over half the bed. For how tiny Harley was, she sure did take up a lot of room.

His primary henchman sauntered into the room, passing over the beer can before plopping down into the armchair. It was weird, really, not having Harley around. For as long as he could remember, her presence had been there to brighten the mood. Without her there, everything seemed a lot more depressing. "Hey, boss?" He asked, knowing he would probably regret this in a few moments. "How long are you planning on leaving Harley at Arkham?"

Joker frowned, but he was quick to rearrange his expression into a glare pointed at Rocco. "Until she learns her lesson," he snapped. "She needs to know when to laugh at my jokes." Rocco raised his brows, but remained silent. He would never understand the man he worked for; that was certain. Just like he would never understand why someone as sweet as Harley stayed with him when he treated her like she was worthless.

Settling down further into the couch, Joker reached for the remote and began flipping through the channels. "Boss, stop!" Rocco cried suddenly. Joker huffed, but obliged, turning up the volume as the nightly news filled the screen.

"None of the Arkham Asylum staff has chosen to comment on the mass breakout," the reporter was saying. Behind her, the hospital loomed, illuminated with cop cars and the moonlight. And probably the Bat was there, sneaking around in the shadows somewhere. "Citizens of Gotham are advised to say inside their homes," she went on. "The inmates reported to have escaped are Poison Ivy, Two-Face and Scarecrow. While the whereabouts of Harley Quinn are currently unknown, it can only be assumed that she has escaped with the others."

Joker sat up suddenly, leaning in closer to the screen. That little brat, escaping without him. Of course, he _had_ been the one to leave her in there. Well, at least now he was saved the trouble of breaking her out himself. He gave it a few hours until she stumbled into their hideout and collapsed in his arms, happy to see him as usual. And he supposed he could get used to sleeping on his side of the bed again…

"This was also the first reported sighting of a new villain here in Gotham. While the woman has no known identity, she was seen fleeing with Scarecrow, and it is speculated that she may be his new sidekick." The screen changed to show an illustration of a blonde girl in a skimpy patchwork dress, wielding a massive mallet.

Joker was unable to stop his jaw from literally falling open. He exchanged a glance with Rocco. "Is that…?" The henchman asked, his voice trailing off.

"Harley," Joker muttered under his breath. "Crane thinks he can just steal my woman, huh?" He was shouting now, rising to his feet and scanning the room for his coat. After a moment, he calmed himself and sat back down on the couch. "You know, Roc, this could be really funny."

Rocco raised his brows, obviously confused by the instant change in Joker's mood. Joker chuckled slowly, which quickly grew into maniacal laughter. Oh yes, this could be very amusing indeed. Let Harley have her fun with Johnny. It was only a matter of time until she came crawling back to him, looking for some real fun. And if the joke got too old, he thought, patting the gun on his hip, he could always end it early.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I have to admit, I'm kind of proud of how this is turning out. Considering this was not at all my intention for this story. Anyway, I just wanted to thank the readers, as always, for giving me the reason to go on with my works. As usual, I own nothing, except this little crush I've been developing on Scarecrow….**

**On a side note, which you can totally skip, I had these "Riddle Skittles" today, where the colors didn't match the flavors, and I finally understand why everyone hates the Riddler now. **

Home, to Jonathan Crane, was an old abandoned house on the outskirts of Gotham. It was nothing too fancy, but he had taken the time to clean it up quite nicely. Harley tiptoed through the house, taking in her surroundings. The small kitchen, with a few pots and pans. The living room, which housed only a couch and a locked chest. "I keep all my books in there," Jonathan explained. "So when they drag me off to Arkham nothing happens to them." There was also a bedroom and a bathroom, both plain and holding only the bare minimums.

Jonathan immediately went to the bedroom, closing the door softly so he could change out of the horrid Arkham uniform. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Harley was here, in his house, working for him. Some twisted part of him wondered if this was all just some joker, if maybe the clown was in on it too and somehow this would all end is his humiliation, like most things in his life did.

But when he imagined Harley's big, innocent smile and her shining blue eyes, he just couldn't believe that she was capable of such a thing. Murder? Yes. Armed robbery? Fine. But purposely hurting one of her friends, one of her rogue family? Jonathan just wasn't sure she had it in her.

Back in his usual attire, slacks and a button down, Jonathan returned to the kitchen. There he found Harley rummaging through the cabinets and pantry. "You don't have any food in here!" She whined, looking over her shoulder at him. "How am I supposed to make you dinner if you don't have any food?"

Jonathan stared at her, running a hand through his hair. She was offering to cook him dinner. And she was still wearing that ridiculous outfit, too. What had she called herself, Patches? There was nothing frightening about that at all. Realizing she was waiting for a reply, he quickly composed himself and offered her a slight smile. "We could just go out to eat," he suggested.

Harley cocked her head, appearing to consider this alternative. "You're right," she said at last. "I'm sick of waiting on people anyway, and Mr. J always said I was a crap cook…" The change in her demeanor would have been quite impressive, it was so instant, if not for the fact that Jonathan had to suddenly lurch forward to catch her before she literally threw herself at the floor. Her great, heaving sobs echoed throughout the house. For being a professor of psychology, Crane had absolutely no idea what to do or say to the poor, shattered girl crying in his arms.

"Harls," he whispered, stroking her blonde pigtails, taming the few strands that had fallen out of place. "Harley, please don't cry….he cant hurt you anymore, okay?"

Harley sniffed loudly, looking up at him through her tear-soaked lashes. "I know," she replied softly. Her little voice damn near broke his heart. "But it's still so hard. I cant even remember life without him in it."

Jonathan sighed, giving her a tight squeeze. He was not emotionally adept to handle this kind of situation. He usually tried to keep his distance from people for this exact reason. When they fell apart, he had no idea how to hold them together. Fear, he understood perfectly. But this heart-wrenching sort of agony, he just had no idea what to do with it.

"I'm sorry," Harley said then, pulling away and wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm happy to be here, Johnny. I really am." She gave him the saddest, most pathetic attempt at a smile he'd ever seen.

Unable to resist, he brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face. "So, uh, I've never had a henchgirl before," he said slowly. "I'm not really sure what you're looking to do."

Harley seemed to relax a little. "Well, for Mr.….before, I did pretty much everything. Cleaning, cooking, laundry, helping with missions, sex." She grinned as she watched a slight blush rise to Jonathan's cheeks. "Don't worry, we don't have to do _everything_ I used to do."

Jonathan had pretty much stopped listening, his mind wandering elsewhere, into that dangerous territory he seldom ventured to. It was no secret he was attracted to Harley. He had been since she'd started her internship, since before the Joker had poisoned her mind and dragged her down into madness. Usually he was able to control his thoughts of her, but it was so much harder now that she was standing in his house, unattached and wearing the most ridiculously revealing dress he had ever seen.

Clearing his throat, he smiled sheepishly at her. "I don't expect you to be my servant," he assured her. "I'm just happy to have some company. It gets lonely, living on your own, and with Tetch still locked up I don't really have any friends here."

Harley beamed at him, twirling her pigtail around her finger. "I wont let you get lonely," she promised him. "I might not be good at much, but I'm good at sticking around."

Jonathan didn't doubt her words for a second. He'd watched her stand by the clown for years, even when he was least deserving of her affection. He could only hope she would stick with him too, and perhaps one day she would deem him deserving of her affection instead.

…

"So, how does it work, again?" Harley asked, for possibly the hundredth time. Jonathan glanced at her, just to make sure she was being serious. When he determined she was, in fact, being completely serious, he let out a heavy sigh.

"The chemical compound interacts with the brain and causes a sort of hallucination," he explained, for possibly the hundredth time. "It plays on whatever the person's strongest fears are."

Harley leaned forward with wide eyes, studying the liquid in the vial. "Sounds…fun!" She said. Again, he wasn't entirely sure she was serious.

"It's…not supposed to be fun, Harley. It's supposed to be terrifying."

Her expression changed into a frown as she looked over at him. "Of course it's supposed to be fun," she said, like she just couldn't process what he was telling her. "Why else would you do it?"

Jonathan opened his mouth, but for once he had no reply. Instead, he lowered his gaze, closing and locking the safe that held the fear toxin. "I think I'm going to get some sleep," he told her. "I'll take the couch; you go ahead and have the bed."

He turned towards the door, but was pulled back by her tiny hand around his wrist. "Night, my frightening, scary boss," she cooed, kissing him on the cheek. With raised brows, he studied her a moment longer, before leaving her alone in the bedroom.

It took him a while to get comfortable on the old couch, and even then he knew the chances of sleep were slim. How could he possibly find rest, knowing that just down the hall, the girl of his dreams was in his bed? How could he ever rest again, knowing that she was so, so close to him? And yet she still felt so far away. Jonathan knew, however much he wanted to deny it, that Harley was far from over the Joker. It was going to take a miracle to rid her mind of him.

Or, maybe a nightmare.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I cannot believe how much fun I'm having writing this story. Gah. And you all seem to be enjoying it as well, which is always good. Okay, I wont say much here because I have to go pound out a chapter of Smiling Out of Fear before heading to work. Have a great day, lovelies. Reviews? They get me through my work day. **

It was only a little fear toxin. Hardly any at all. At least, that was what Jonathan Crane kept telling himself, as he lay wide awake on the couch. It certainly wasn't enough to hurt her. She probably would only be hallucinating for ten minutes, top.

He knew he was trying to justify it to himself, trying to reason with himself that it had been the right thing to do. A few, harmless minutes spent in her own head couldn't possibly do as much damage to Harley as a lifetime in love with the Joker.

It was only a little, he assured himself again. Soon, Harley would wake up like nothing had happened. And if all went according to plan, she would be able to move on with her life once and for all.

…

Harley awoke slowly from a dreamless sleep. She glanced around the darkened room, rubbing at her eyes and trying to place her surroundings. Eventually she remembered that she was at the house of Jonathan Crane.

Throwing back the covers, she slid out of the bed and stretched her arms high above her head. Her mind was muddled from just waking, and she couldn't seem to remember why she was at Jonathan's house. Glancing down, she realized she was unclothed. With wide eyes, she looked over to the king sized bed, finding her fears confirmed. Jonathan slept calmly in the bed beside her, the covers pulled back just enough to reveal his bare chest, rising and falling with his easy breaths.

Harley was going to be sick if she didn't get out of there. What the hell was going on? In the kitchen she flicked on the light before sinking into a chair. There was no way she would have slept with Jonathan. Maybe the Joker had thrown her out again, but he always came back for her, and she always waiting patiently for him. She would have never betrayed him like this.

An unexpected knock sounded at the door. Harley frowned at the clock. 2:28 am. Who could possibly be knocking at this time of day? Her first guess was Bats, but knocking wasn't at all his style. The blonde sighed, knowing her only option was to answer.

She padded with bare feet across the cold floor, flipping the lock and opening the door. For a moment, she cursed herself for not being armed, but when she saw who it was, she realized it would have been unnecessary. "Mr. J," she breathed, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Of course he would come for her. He always came back for her. She was his, only his, and he would never let somebody else have his toys.

Harley only then remembered that she was naked, and only because she watched the way his gaze travelled over her with utter hatred. "Puddin', I can explain!" She pleaded, lurching herself at him. Only she really couldn't explain, because she honestly had no recollection of sleeping with Jonathan.

Joker's only response was to shove her down roughly to the floor. With narrowed eyes, he watched her crying there, crumbled at his feet. "You lying whore," he hissed, fires ablaze in his acidic green eyes. For once, he wasn't smiling. In an instant, he had grabbed her by a fistful of hair, dragging her back to her feet. "I could kill you for this!" He screamed in her face. "You and that pathetic, second rate villain."

As he threw her back to the floor, he knelt down and leaned in very closely, so close she could feel his staggered breaths upon her tear-streaked face. "But I'm not going to," he murmured. "Because, honestly, I'm happy you're gone, Harley. I'm happy I don't have to put up with you anymore, you stupid bitch. I'm glad I don't have to pretend to love you anymore, just to get you to leave me alone for two seconds. I regret the day I ever convinced you I wanted you, more than I regret anything else in my life."

Harley took in all his words, silently sobbing in the doorway. As Joker rose back up to her feet, he gave her a good kick in the stomach. "And you know what else, Harley?" He said, his tone suddenly lighter, mocking. "I honestly never thought seeing that wretched look on your face would make me happier than killing you. But it does."

Long after he was gone, Harley sat there on the floor. She was bruised and sore, her eyes were puffy from crying, and above all she felt utterly worthless. How could she have done this to him? She loved him. She was his Harley Quinn, only his. She'd said from the start there was nothing funny about a harlequin and a scarecrow. And there wasn't. Laying on the cold kitchen floor, it wasn't funny at all.

…

Jonathan had watched the scene unfolding from the doorway of the kitchen. It was one of the most painful experiences of his life, watching Harley in such excruciating pain. Watching her crying on the floor, staring up into an empty doorway. He was surprised, honestly, at how vivid her hallucinations had seemed to be, considering he'd only gassed her with a very small dosage.

He waited a few moments before going to her, kneeling down at her side. "Harley," he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from him, her blue eyes vacant and lifeless. But the pupils were no longer dilated, he noted, which meant most of the gas had made its way out of her system. Perfect timing, he thought, though nothing about this situation felt perfect at all. Jonathan was sincerely hoping he could remedy that. "Harley, baby, it was just a dream."

She looked unconvinced, but after a moment she pushed the front door shut. "It didn't feel like a dream," she murmured. "It felt too real to be a dream."

Taking a chance, Jonathan pulled her into his lap. There she rested her head against his chest, her hair tickling his face. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her. He listened patiently as Harley relayed to him the events of her trip, which of course she thought was only a dream.

For a moment or so, Jonathan remained silent. Trying to determine how he could best play this. And while a part of him felt bad for using the poor child's own fears against her, he felt in his heart that the end result of getting her away from the clown once and for all justified any means he used to get there.

"Harls, it's been a week or so since that happened," he lied slowly, his stomach in knots as he searched for the proper wording. "Your subconscious is probably replaying it over again." Seeing her frown, he added quickly, "I promise I wont let anything happen to you ever again."

Harley cocked her head, seemingly lost in thought. Jonathan, on the other hand, was holding his breath, waiting for her to reply. The blonde took him by surprise when she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I trust you," she said sincerely. And it nearly killed him, because she had absolutely no reason to trust him. Not after what he'd just done to her.

With a heavy sigh of guilt, Jonathan scooped her up in his arms. "Come on, kiddo. Let's get to bed." He carried her across the house, tucking her into the bed. He hesitated a moment before crawling in beside her. It wasn't going to be easy to keep this charade up. He was going to have to assure she could have no contact with the Joker. Probably he would have to speak to Ivy as well.

But looking over at the tiny girl curled up against him, he couldn't help but feel it was all worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello, loves! I just watched the most interesting movie, called Exam. It was a mind-f**k, that's for sure. Anywho, sorry this one took me all day to get out. I was having some internal dilemma about where I wanted to take the story. I got there eventually, though, and that's what counts. Maybe if I'm lucky, or you're lucky, or both, I'll get the next chapter of Smiling Out of Fear up tonight too. Or maybe I'll have a oneshot surprise. Mwah! **

"You _what_?!"

Jonathan pulled the phone away from his face as Poison Ivy's enraged roar came over the speaker. It was early the next morning; Harley was in the shower and Jonathan had thought he should probably fill her best friend in on what had happened the previous night. And even if he was the master of fear, Ivy's temper could still be quite frightening.

"Ivy, you have to understand-"

"Oh, I understand," she snapped, cutting him off. "I understand that you emotionally manipulated my best friend so you could get what you want." Jonathan felt his stomach twisting into little knots. He had fallen asleep with the notion that he had done Harley a favor, finally freeing her of the Joker's spell. And since nobody hated the clown more than Ivy, he had assumed she would be happy. But when she put it like that, he felt terrible for what he had done.

"Honestly," Ivy went on. "I expected better of you. But you're no different than J." With that last, hurtful comment, she hung up on him.

For a long time, Jonathan sat perfectly still, mulling over what Ivy had said. She was wrong; she had to be. He was nothing like Joker. He wasn't nearly as cruel or cold or heartless. It was the exact opposite; it was how much he cared that had driven him to such desperate measures. He had done her a favor, really.

Before he could get too lost in thought, Harley came waltzing through the living room, wrapped in a towel with her damp hair still hanging around shoulders. She was humming some song he didn't recognize. But she stopped as she passed, just long enough to give him a simple smile, and he forgot all about how he was supposed to feel guilty for using fear gas on her.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greeted with a grin of his own, beckoning her over to him. Harley came and sat down at his side, adjusting the towel so it didn't come unwrapped. "How are you feeling today?"

Harley rested her head on his shoulder. "Okay, once I got some actual sleep," she murmured. "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean, to, uh…scare you," she finished lamely, realizing it was s stupid thing to say to the man who called himself the master of fear.

Jonathan reached up to ruffle her blonde hair. "Don't worry about it," he assured her. There was a moment of silence, which weighed heavily upon him. "So, Patches," he teased, speaking up only to break through the quietness that enveloped them. "How do you feel about going on our first little adventure?"

Harley's blue eyes lit up even brighter than usual. Pulling her knees under her, she leaned in with a giddy expression. "Really?" Jonathan couldn't believe how genuinely excited she was. Then again, Harley had been created and bred to get off on the idea of madness and mayhem. He was hoping his own little brand of insanity would suffice for her. It was much less hands on than she was probably used to.

Jonathan nodded, taking her small hand in his own. "Get dressed up, kiddo. I'm thinking the zoo, maybe. Might be interesting to see children thinking the lions are dragons or something…"

Harley giggled, rising to her feet. She kissed his cheek on the way out of the room, ignoring the feeling in her heart that this was all very, very wrong.

…

In any normal circumstances, Poison Ivy would have never willingly sought out the Clown Prince of Crime. However, she found herself standing on his doorstep that afternoon. A sudden chill had settled in around Gotham, and she was shivering in her black pea coat, tucking her hair behind her ears every time the wind caught it and blew it loose. She hated the cold, hated everything about it.

Ivy raised her hand to knock before shoving her hands deep in her pockets. She waited impatiently, trying to ignore the worried voices in her head. A moment later, a henchman appeared in the doorway, pointing a gun straight in her face. "Oh, Miss Ivy," he said, quickly shoving the pistol back into his holster. "I apologize, but Harley isn't here right now." He was about to close the door again, but Ivy held her hand out to stop him.

"I'm here to see J," she told him hastily. She had a feeling she was going to regret this. But then, she knew she'd probably regret it even more if she didn't do it. The henchman gave her a puzzled look before stepping aside to let her in.

"Boss!" He called into the old warehouse, his voice echoing in the wide space.

"Did that ungrateful brat finally come stumble- oh, it's the Plant. Even better," Joker muttered sarcastically as he strolled into the room, buttoning up his shirt. He ran a hand through his hair, which was looking much limper than usual instead of being slicked back.

"Hey, J," Ivy returned, crossing her arms and jutting her hip out to the side. "Look, I'm sorry to bother you."

"Skip the pleasantries," Joker snapped. For once, he wasn't smiling. In fact, he looked downright miserable. Ivy had to wonder if it had anything to do with Harley being gone. If Joker even knew where she was. As much as she hated the vicious cycle of their relationship, she had occasionally seen the clown show some remorse over the whole thing. Sometimes, she thought, he really did feel bad about pushing her away. "What are you doing here, Red?"

Ivy caught herself chewing nervously on the inside of her cheeks. All the while Joker was staring at her impatiently. At last, she let out a sigh. "You know I've never exactly…approved of your relationship with Harley," Ivy began. "And I have always pushed Harley to break away from you. But…J…" God, how was she going to ever say this? It went against everything she had believed, everything she had stood for.

In the end, it all came out in a quickly blurted sentence. "I think Harley is in danger. And, I mean, more danger than she's usually in with you."

Joker remained motionless, causing Ivy to wonder if he had even heard her at all. "Not my problem," he muttered then, looking down.

"She loves you!" Ivy cried, suddenly infuriated.

"She left me!" Joker shouted right back. "She knew I'd have come to get her from Arkham, but she ran off with that pathetic, wannabe villain."

Ivy narrowed her eyes at him. She hated him, she really did. Nobody knew how to get under her skin quite like he did. But when it came down to it, Harley was her best friend, and it was her job to keep the girl safe. "He used fear toxin to convince her that you never loved her," she told him quietly. "That's why she hasn't come back."

A thousand emotions played out over Joker's face. He clenched his hands into fists that were so tight his knuckles stood out even whiter than before. "Nobody emotionally abuses my Harley but me," he hissed. Before Ivy even had time to react, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out the door, back into the autumn chill.

"Where are we going?" She demanded, ripping her arm away from him.

Joker threw open the door to his car, motioning for her to get it. "We're going to rescue Harley, of course. Then we're going to find out what Scaredy-crow is afraid of. Trust me, Red, it's going to be a real blast." He slammed down on the accelerator before she had even closed her door, his maniacal laughter echoing as they sped off into Gotham.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey there! Well, this little story is winding to an end here. I'll save all my sappy stuff for the final chappie, and let you guys just get to it. **

Harley sighed for the thousandth time, glancing over at Jonathan. Or, Scarecrow right now, since he had pulled his burlap mask over his face as he watched the terror unfolding before him. They'd opted out of the zoo, instead hitting up the largest bank in town. For Jonathan, his crimes had never been about obtaining money. It was just about research, watching the way people succumbed to their greatest terrors. And with the high level of traffic in the bank, he was able to infect a massive amount of people at once.

Harley, on the other hand, was not so amused. She had been watching through the upper windows from where they were perched on the roof for what felt like hours. The gas mask she had on for precaution was cutting into her skin, and it was practically freezing all the way up here. Wrapping her arms around her slender frame, wearing only her skimpy new dress, she groaned. "When do we actually _rob_ them?" She whined impatiently.

Jonathan frowned, though the girl couldn't actually see his face. "We're not here to rob them, Harley," he explained, his own voice muffled by the fabric and his gas mask. "We're just…observing."

Harley stuck her lip out in a little pout, looking back down at the chaos beneath them. What was the point of mayhem if they didn't even get to take anything home? What was the point of being a super villain if they weren't even going to shoot anyone or steal anything? She was sick of watching the people screaming; it wasn't funny at all. There was no punch line to their terror.

Realizing that she was losing interest, Jonathan took her hand in his own. "We should get out of here," he said, working hard to conceal his disappointed tone. "Wouldn't want Bats to show up and take us back to Arkham." Harley nodded eagerly, mostly just happy to be leaving. If this was _all_ Jonathan did, she was in for a long, boring time as his sidekick.

Down below them, Joker's car was racing through the streets. Ivy was gripping the seat with one hand and her stomach with the other, trying not to throw up all over the place. Every time he took a sharp turn, she got a little closer to losing control.

"Where is he hiding?" Joker growled, his hands gripping the steering wheel as tightly as possible.

"I don't know!" Ivy cried. The words had barely left her lips when Joker suddenly slammed on the breaks, sending her jolting forward against her seatbelt. She was about to snap at him, but instead fell silent as she saw the scene before them. They were stopped a hundred yards away from the Gotham bank, where dozens of cop cars had surrounded the building. The officers themselves had guns trained on all entrances and were wearing high tech gas masks.

"Found him," Joker hissed. Ivy let out a sigh of relief, reaching to undo her seatbelt. But the car jerked forward at full speed, this time sending her crashing back against the seat. She let out a scream, covering her face as Joker drove the car straight through the crowds and into the wall of the bank.

For the briefest moment, there was silence. Ivy was actually afraid to open her eyes, thinking they must be dead. Of all the ways she'd imagined going, a crazy car crash with the clown had not been one of them. When her senses returned to her, and she heard the sounds of alarms and crying and shouting, Ivy opened her eyes and forced her body to relax.

Joker was already out of the car, waving his pistol around wildly. At some point he had ripped a gas mask off a cop, though Ivy hadn't even noticed him do it. "Like the drive-through service ya got here," he said, laughing at the teller before he shot her in the face. Then he turned towards the rest of the room, his arms wide open as if to gesture to all of them at once. Most of them didn't even seem to realize he was there; if they did, they were at least smart enough to try and hide.

"Alright, Harley!" He shouted, his voice ricocheting off the walls. Ivy scanned the room desperately, thankful for her immunity to all toxins. So far, neither Harley nor Jonathan was anywhere to be seen. Ivy was honestly afraid of what would happen when Joker found them. He was on one of his rampages, and those usually ended in lots of death and destruction. "Gag's up, sweetheart! Come on out, and I promise I'll kill Scaredy-crow quickly."

Harley was being led to the fire escape when she heard the all too familiar voice coming from below. "Mr. J," she breathed. He had come back for her. She'd known all along he would come back for her. She tried to shake free of Jonathan, but he tightened her grip on her.

"Harley, stop!" Jonathan cried desperately. He could feel his control on the situation slipping, and for the first time in a long while he felt the unfamiliar fingers of fear gripping at him. All the while, Harley was struggling against him. "Harley, you cant-" His words were cut off as the pair crashed through the window, falling down to collapse roughly on the floor of the bank.

Harley groaned, rubbing at her shoulder as she managed to push herself to her feet. She'd taken worse falls than that before, and anyway the sheer pleasure of knowing that her one and only love had returned to her was enough to erase any physical pain. The blonde threw himself into Joker's arms; he replied by embracing her tightly and spinning her around.

Their intimate reunion lasted but a moment. Joker set Harley back on her feet and took her instead by the hand. Pulling her alongside him, he took easy, measured steps to the place where Jonathan still sat on the floor. "You stupid, self-righteous bastard," Joker sneered between gritted teeth. He had the pistol trained right in Jonathan's masked face. "You honestly thought you could just step in and take what's mine? Don't you know there's nothing funny about a scarecrow and a harlequin?"

Harley turned to face him with her blue eyes open wide. "But…Mr. J….you told me you didn't love me anymore…" She whimpered, gripping his forearm as tightly as she could, as if she would die by simply letting go.

"I think Jonathan has a bit of explaining to do." Ivy spoke up, suddenly appearing at Harley's side. The redhead smiled at her best friend. As much as she hated to admit it, it was nice to see her back at the clown's side where she unquestionably belonged.

Harley, meanwhile, was staring at the man on the ground at her feet. "What does she mean?" She asked slowly. "Red, what are you talking about out?"

Jonathan sighed, knowing it was hopeless. There was no way out of this mess. And anyway, he had gotten himself into it, and the only thing to do now was face responsibility for his foolish actions. He pulled off his mask and rose to his feet. He wanted to be able to look into her eyes for this, so that perhaps Harley could understand how truly sorry he was.

And he was, honestly. Maybe he would never understand why Harley loved the clown so much, or why she allowed him to treat her so terribly. But she did, and he had no right to try and take that away from her. Especially not in such a terrible, unforgivable manner.

"I used fear toxin on you," he muttered, unable to hold her gaze for more than a moment. "All that stuff about J leaving you…that never happened. I wanted you to stay with me, so I convinced you that your hallucinations had been real."

A slow frown took over her face as she processed what he was saying. "So…we never slept together?"

Jonathan raised his brows. "You… hallucinated us sleeping together?" He stammered.

Before Harley could even nod, Joker burst out into maniacal laughter. He literally bent over, clutching at his gut. Even Ivy was unable to resist a few snickers. "Gee, Johnny," she teased. "Guess someone is afraid of you after all. I mean, I'd probably be terrified if I had to sleep with you." Her words caused Joker to laugh even louder. Jonathan only glared at the ground, wishing his mask was still on to hide the blush now rising to his cheeks.

"I think you've made your point, J," he snapped at last, when Joker had started to get his laughter under control.

Joker nodded, shoving his gun back into his holster. "I think so too, Scaredy-crow," he agreed. "I've had enough fun for one day." He looked over at Harley, who was still clinging to his arm, and added, "Well, I might be able to have a little more fun tonight."

Ivy rolled her eyes, remembering all over again why she hated to be around them. Harley, on the other hand, let out a giddy squeak. It was a perfect ending to a horrible day, really.

In fact, none of them were even that upset when Batman crashed through the window.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Wow, this has been a crazy week's worth of writing. I want to thank every single person that has stuck with me throughout the making of this story. You guys are the greatest. I hope to see a lot of your names back, reviewing the next story to come. All my love, -Skye.**

Jervis Tetch brought his teacup to his lips, sipping slowly at the dark liquid. "Welcome back," he said to his best friend, Jonathan Crane. The latter said nothing in reply, just slid into the chair and poured himself a cup of his own. "Did you enjoy your brief freedom?"

Jonathan grunted, resting his head upon his arms. Since Batman had brought them all back into Arkham a few hours earlier, he had been trying with all his might to forget that the last few days had ever happened.

"Do you think Harley will ever forgive me?" He asked, composing himself once again as he drank the liquid greedily. It burned the back of his throat and warmed him on the way down.

Tetch looked at him incredulously. He had been informed by Miss Ivy of what exactly had gone down when the others had escaped. And while he had been a little disappointed at his friend, he would have been lying to say he didn't understand. Love, in any of its many forms, was capable of driving people to insanity. Love bred insanity, really. And sometimes, insanity bred love. In their group of improbable companions, love and insanity were often incredibly tangled things.

"Eventually," Jervis said at last, refilling his cup. "Harley is a sweet child. And, really, think of all the times she has forgiven the Joker. Anyway, you know how quickly things blow over in here. By tomorrow, I'm sure this will all be forgotten."

Jonathan smiled at him. He was right, surely. Even the crazies were capable of forgiveness. And he had certainly learned his lesson. For better or worse, Harley belonged with Joker. He had been a fool to ever try to come between them.

"Besides," Tetch went on, winking at his best friend. "Perhaps you shall awaken tomorrow and find that this all has been some terrible nightmare."

Jonathan smirked, finishing his tea and taking his leave. He returned to his cell, where he lay in bed and tried to sleep. The morning light would bring a new day, and they could all put this mess behind them.

**END**

**A/N: Stay tuned for a bonus chapter ;D**


	10. Writing With the Rogues

**A/N: This idea was suggested by one of my friends, and so I decided to make it a bonus ending for Look After You. He has watched me write a few chapters of this story and a recent conversation gave birth to this little scene. Nothing too serious, really. But I think it turned out sort of cute. **

The rogues sat together on a long, black leather couch, each anxiously glancing around the room. White walls framed the setting, a small space with little but a bed and an oversized dresser. Atop the bed sat a black haired girl, huddled over her laptop. And at the center of the rogues sat the Joker, tapping his foot impatiently.

"She's taking _forever_," he muttered, running a hand through his slicked back hair. "What is she doing? I'm bored!"

"She's thinking," snapped Jonathan Crane, jumping to the defense of the poor girl. He knew how overwhelmed she could get by dealing with all of them. They weren't exactly the easiest bunch to get along with. Every time she felt like she knew how to understand them, they threw her a new curve. "Just leave her alone."

The girl smiled graciously at him. He was by far one of her favorites of the group. Meanwhile, Joker rolled his eyes. "Well, she should hurry up," he snapped, earning a glare from the black haired girl. He was sick of waiting for something to happen, and Harley was consistently nuzzling closer to him, which drove him even crazier. "I mean, she has been at it for hours! And why has she been playing this song over and over?" Joker glared up at nothing in particular, trying to tune out the soothing male voice pouring from the radio.

"It's the song she based the story on," Ivy chimed in. "She listens to it for inspiration." Flipping her hair out of her face, she gave him a hard nudge. "So shut up and listen. God, J, it's like you have no idea what's going on…"

"I don't!" He cried, jumping to his feet and pointing at the girl on the bed. "Why does she get to control what goes on? I mean, what kind of name is lostsoul512 anyway? There's nothing funny about that at all."

"Oh, Mr. J, stop being so mean to her," Harley murmured, taking him by the hand and pulling him back onto the couch. In the process she very nearly knocked Ivy right off. Harley leaned in to kiss his cheek before looking back at the other girl. "Just end it with something funny," she suggested. Blushing, she quickly added, "I'm not trying to rush you. It's just…well, you know how he gets when he's upset, lostsoul."

The black haired girl let out a sigh, giving each of them a look. Then she returned to her computer and quickly typed out a few sentences. "That'll have to do," she said to herself. She saved the document and closed the computer. One by one, each of the rogues disappeared from her room. For a few moments, she was able to enjoy the silence. It was hard, sometimes, being a writer, having to share her space with all these other characters. But she loved them all, really, and after a couple of minutes she opened her laptop and began writing once again.


End file.
